FRESNO PACIFIC UNIVERSITY VOL. 17, NO. 1 president’s message D. Merrill Ewert FPU will become what it chooses to be he president of an international relief and devel- (NAIA) regional championship. From there, they went on opment organization shocked me with his ques- to the national tournament and ended the season as the tion during an interview 25 years ago: “What runner-up for the NAIA title. A week later our volleyball do you want it to say on your tombstone?” As team won the NAIA national championship. We’re enor- TI later reflected on his question (and my answer), I under- mously proud of our athletes, but please note that these stood for the first time that we craft our own legacy—by accomplishments were not accidents. Their success was the visions we hold, the priorities we set, the decisions we grounded in our core values, led by a vision for excellence make, the actions we take and the people with whom we and accomplished through discipline and hard work. surround ourselves. We become what we choose to be. The combination of character, discipline and the expec- Fresno Pacific University’s vision statement calls for tation of excellence will generate excellence. In the second us to become a premier Christian university that has a game (in a best-of-five series) of a match at the national growing national reputation, a commitment to academic volleyball tournament, I saw it in the eyes of the opposing excellence and is characterized by spiritual vitality. In 2064 team. You could tell; they knew that although the score was when people look back at the preceding six decades, I hope still close, they had just met a better team. They knew our they will celebrate a legacy of excellence; that they will see Sunbirds were going to win. So did we. It wasn’t arrogance fidelity to the vision and mission and conclude that we or bravado. Our players were well-trained, solidly prepared, made good decisions that continued the trajectory that led well-coached and quietly confident that they would excel. to even greater success. That’s Fresno Pacific University today. The first 60 years Last October, FPU hosted legendary UCLA basketball have established a wonderful foundation, firmly grounded coach John Wooden, who led his teams to 10 national in our core values. We have a vision for what it means to be championships and set a standard for excellence that will a Christian university, for learning together as a commu- probably remain unmatched. Greatness, he explained to nity, for speaking transformatively to our culture and for his audience, is not primarily due to the genetic accidents excellence—in our teaching, scholarship and service to the that bestow physical gifts. Outstanding skills contribute to church and society. We are growing in numbers, building achievement but are not the central cause. Instead, Coach our infrastructure and strengthening our systems. We are Wooden suggested, excellence is grounded in core values, strategic in our decisions and disciplined in our actions. led by vision, shaped by skill and fueled by effort. Together, In 2064, I hope people will note that we were faithful they lead to the development of poise, confidence and ulti- to the calling that God entrusted to us; that the decisions mately competitive greatness. we made, the directions we set, the actions we took and FPU’s athletic teams displayed excellence during the fall the people we brought to the university shaped a legacy for season. First, our men’s soccer team won the conference future generations. title and National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics PACIFIC FRESNO PACIFIC UNIVERSITY Volume 17, Number 1 February, 2004 PACIFICcontents MAGAZINE Fresno Pacific University exists to prepare students for faithful and wise service through excellence in Christian higher education, and to strengthen the church and improve society through scholarship and service. PRESIDENT D. Merrill Ewert VICE PRESIDENT FOR ADVANCEMENT AND UNIVERSITY RELATIONS Mark Deffenbacher page 4 DIRECTOR OF MEDIA AND Celebrate FPU’s 60th anniversary COMMUNITY RELATIONS Diana Bates Mock in 2004 with a trip to 2064. EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Wayne Steffen [email protected] 3 National champs! Women’s volleyball brings home NAIA banner DESIGN DIRECTOR Gail Enns [email protected] 10 Around the green With humor and humility, John Wooden lives CONTRIBUTING WRITERS his definition of character Kristen Kleyn, Ken Isaak Restorative justice conference brings together Pacific is sent to alumni and friends of both sides of the victim-offender equation Fresno Pacific University and to mem- bers of the Pacific District Conference of the Mennonite Brethren Churches. 18 Building our future New projects will expand athletics and OUR MAILING ADDRESS 1717 S. Chestnut Ave. prepare Alumni Hall for new role Fresno, CA 93702-4709 Fax: 559-453-2033 20 1717 | In touch with alumni www.fresno.edu Tosh Yoshida didn’t wait for graduation to serve Alumni 559-453-2058 Advancement 559-453-2080 24 Sunbird athletics College Admissions 800-660-6089 Men’s soccer scores second in nation Graduate School 559-453-3667 School of Professional Studies Janzen, Schulte named to NAIA Hall of Fame 559-453-2015 sidebarMESSAGE FROM THE EDITOR PACIFIC standard time This calendar is designed to present an overall view of activities at Fresno Pacifi c University. Individual events may be aimed at a specifi c audience, carry a fee and require advance registration. All events are subject to change. For the latest information, contact the sponsor- To predict is futile, ing university department or check the FPU website at www.fresno.edu. to dream divine FEBRUARY 26-28 Drama One-Act Festival, Theater lab, Kriegbaum Hall. 27 Pacifi c Artist Series: Vocal recital by “Dreams are the touchstones sprano Barbara Vlymen, McDonald of our characters.” Hall Atrium. MARCH —Henry David Thoreau 2 Musica Pacifi ca Baroque Orchestra winter concert, McDonald Hall 4 Women’s Basketball GSAC quarterfi nal 6 Women’s Basketball GSAC semifi nal 9 Women’s Basketball GSAC fi nal n fourth grade my Weekly Reader predicted that by 1980 I would 11 Men’s Basketball GSAC quarterfi nal be bopping back and forth to the mall through the air thanks to 13 Men’s Basketball GSAC semifi nal the jet pack on my back. I’m waiting. 16 Men’s Basketball GSAC fi nal We should always predict the future with a grin. Why? 17-23 Women’s Basketball NAIA I Championship Because despite our best intentions, our most cogent analysis and 20 Pacifi c Artist Series: Erickson, Porter our biggest stack of statistics, we’re going to get it wrong. and Blomster trio, McDonald Hall Over the years, recognized leaders in their fi elds have assured 24-30 Men’s Basketball NAIA National us that automobiles would never go faster than 60 miles per hour, Championship, Kansas City, Missouri APRIL movies would replace the written word and no one would need 2-3 MCC Relief Sale more than 25K of memory on his or her personal computer. The 6 Pacifi c Artist Series: Piano recital by refusal of present trends to continue, the law of unintended conse- Marvin Blickenstaff, McDonald Hall quences and just the desire to see the future go our way all conspire 7 Women’s Chorale Concert, to keep us humble. McDonald Hall Atrium 13 Community Concert Band, Location TBA Praise God! If we could really fi gure the future, we’d no doubt 14 Flautas Pacifi ca and Pacifi c Brass really foul it up. Spring Concert, McDonald Hall Instead of trying to divine what will happen, let’s do something 15-17 Complete Works of William Shake- important: let’s dream about what could happen. speare (Abridged), Theater Gao named MVP 20 Pacifi c Chamber Singers and Musica Dreaming is different than predicting. Dreaming has nothing to Pacifi ca Baroque Orchestra, Fresno do with comforting our friends and foiling our foes with research, Art Museum learned opinion and other modern crystal balls. Dreaming is an 22 Central Valley Ministry Forum expression of faith—and faith is the fl esh of the future. 22 Pacifi c Bronze Concert, Westminister Presbyterian Church So dream with us, and dream in the certainty that, while we 22-24 Complete Works of William Shake- don’t know what is to come, we are in loving hands. speare (Abridged), Theater Lab. I’ll keep one light burning for that jet pack. 23-24 Track and Field GSAC Championship, Cockerham Track, FPU —Wayne Steffen 25 Concert Choir Home Concert, First Congregational Church MAY 8 Commencement 2 | PACIFIC | Sunbirds win NAIA national volleyball championship Duley steps in, Gao steps up by Ken Isaak t has become diffi cult not to move from opposite hitter to setter. No problem—it had to expect the Sunbirds only been two seasons since Duley had been the team’s part- to make a serious run time starting setter. Janzen picked Erin Mazmanian to fi ll at the National Associa- Duley’s hitting position. Ition of Intercollegiate Athletics Call it brilliant coaching or just a make-shift desperate- (NAIA) championship every times-call-for-desperate-measures move. It doesn’t matter. The year. After all, the Sunbirds had Sunbirds blew away their competition. On Day 2, with Duley made 12 national appearances, directing the offense, FPU dismissed No. 10 Lee of Tennessee 10 of them consecutive, with in 70 minutes. On Friday morning, in their fi nal pool play seven fi nal four fi nishes. But match, they dispatched 2000 champion Dickinson State of Gao named MVP after winning the champion- North Dakota 30-25, 30-11, 30-7. ship on their fi rst trip in 1989 That set up a quarterfi nal date with 2002 national cham- the Sunbirds never managed a second banner.